1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus by means of which regular articles, in particular container parts, are fed to an operating station, the articles having projecting handle elements on two opposite sides.
2. Description of Background Art
Regular container parts may be provided with projecting handle elements on two opposite sides in order to ensure easier handling of the containers during opening and/or closing, the opposite sides running essentially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container. When the container parts are fed to an operating station, in particular to a packaging machine, they have to be positioned in a predetermined manner. If the container parts are to be introduced into the packaging machine, and processed, in their longitudinal direction, they likewise have to be fed, directly upstream of the packaging machine, in the longitudinal direction. The container parts here are advanced up in abutment against one another and separated before they are introduced into the packaging machine, and the container parts following the separated container part are accumulated. If these then, as has been predetermined, are advanced up in abutment against one another in the longitudinal direction on a transporting path and, for separating purposes, are necessarily accumulated on the latter, displacement and jamming may occur on the transporting path since the container parts butt against one another by way of their narrow side and can only be supported against one another to a small extent. If the container parts are even beveled on a narrow side, this may result in container parts being pushed one over the other, as a result of which the operation of feeding to the packaging machine is disrupted and has to be interrupted.
It is thus advantageous for the container parts to be fed with their longitudinal direction transverse to the transporting path and to be accumulated cyclically in order to be separated and introduced into the packaging machine, with the result that the container parts can be better supported against one another and jamming or instances of container parts being pushed one over the other are largely avoided. In the case of accumulation, however, the oppositely directed handle elements of the abutting container parts may interlock. This is not important for the operation of the container parts being advanced up, although it is important for separating them and introducing them into the packaging machine. It is not possible for the front container part to be guided away laterally since its handle elements are interlocked with those of the following container part.